Statewide testing with college admissions exams dates to 2001, when Colorado and Illinois introduced the practice. Such testing expanded in subsequent years, and beginning in 2017--2018, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) allowed states to use a college admissions exam to meet accountability requirements for high schools. Some see this option as beneficial for students, especially those students who might not have taken the ACT or SAT tests otherwise, yet this policy remains controversial among educational assessment researchers (e.g., Camara, Mattern, Croft, Vispoel, & Nichols, 2019 and responses). This study examined changes in score distributions and indicators of motivation to evaluate whether students participating in statewide ACT testing exhibit motivation comparable to students who participate in national ACT testing. Study results have direct bearing on the interpretation and use of college admissions test scores from statewide administrations. With the introduction of census testing, the tested sample in each state included more male students, minority students, and students with lower high school grade point averages.